It’s easier to score a place at the cooking “ateliers” than at the
restaurant which requires some persistence and early mornings –
bookings open exactly one month prior at 10am Paris time.
12 noon on the designated day. Twelve lucky chefs du jour
head through a door marked “Do not enter” – it felt a little bit
illicit! The setting was magical – a cook’s dream
kitchen with every Electrolux appliance you could imagine
and/or want!

Our “menu” for the day consisted of what looked like a shopping
list of ingredients. The seasonal Nomiya Restaurant menu changes
nearly every day and the atelier generally makes the main course
and dessert from the previous night so it’s never documented in
writing.

We made the same main course and dessert as those enjoying the
5-course luncheon in the restaurant – Pan-fried foie gras
with potatoes, caramelized apples andendives with pain d’épices toast andpassion fruit île flottante served onmango coulis with cocoa-saffron shortbread.

Participants worked in three groups – dessert,
vegetables and the foie gras. If
you come to the atelier, you should know that it takes place in
French and whilst you will most likely get the gist of what’s going
on, there might not be anyone who can really translate the
proceedings for you.

The result? Delectable and above all, so much fun! I got to
live a chef’s dream, working in a fabulously appointed kitchen with
all the bells and whistles! A far cry from my postage stamp
sized kitchen!

If you are planning a trip to Paris in the next few months (the
installation is only there until the end of June), try to get a
place for the cooking workshop or even the lunch/ dinner. Set your
alarms –
it’s SO worth it!

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Guest Blogger Mardi Michels is a full-time French teacher and
part-time food blogger based in Toronto. Her blog, eat.live.travel.write
focuses on culinary adventures both near and far because she
travels as often as she can!